Japan Eats

This week on Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by Tama Matsuoka Wong, a forager, weed eater, meadow doctor, lawyer and mother of three. She is the author of the backyard field guide and cookbook Foraged Flavor, which was nominated for a James Beard award in 2013. After graduating from Harvard Law School and serving more than 25 years as a financial services lawyer in Tokyo, New York and Hong Kong, she returned with her family to Hunterdon County, New Jersey and rediscovered her passion for the natural world. In 2007 she was named Steward of the Year by the New Jersey Forest Service.

This week on Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by Everett Kennedy Brown, a photographer working in Japan for the past 28 years whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Geo, Time, Newsweek, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, The New York Times, and more. He is also interested in exploring techniques of the glass plate collodion photographic process, in an effort to capture the ambient mood of a place on film. In addition to his photographic and writing activities, Brown has established a Japanese farm with his wife, the popular cookbook writer Deco Nakajima. Located one hour east of Tokyo, near the Pacific coast, Brown’s Field (www.brownsfield-jp.com) and the country inn Jiji no Ie (www.jijinoie.com) reflect his vision of an ideal rural Japanese experience. To see Everett's fascinating photos created by the 19th century technology that brings the past alive: http://www.modernclassic.jp/ To see Everett's inspiring TED Talk about how cultural memories make your life engaging and delightful https

Filmmaker Erik Shirai joins us in the studio to tell us all about the making of his latest documentary, The Birth of Saké, which grants an inside look at the art of sake creation in a Japanese brewery. Shirai and his producer managed to get access to the brewery at a time of transition, as a younger brewmaster was starting to take greater responsibility.

On this week's episode of Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by ice sculptor Shintaro Okamoto. He is the owner of Okamoto Studio, a New York-based collective best known for their design, production, and consultation of everything made of crystal clear ice. Father-son Takeo and Shintaro Okamoto make up the founding core of the group, which was formed in 2003 with a mission of showcasing in the full beauty and potential of handcrafted ice. Okamoto Studio has fast become a favorite among the event, hospitality, culinary, fashion, and media industries for their articulate and fanciful use of both traditional hand-tool craftsmanship and current art-world sensibilities.

This week on Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by Kumiko Jitsukawa, the founder of Ki-Chu New York, a traditional Japanese tableware company dedicated to enhancing appreciation of the Japanese dining experience. Jitsukawa was born in Yokohama, Japan. She studied space design at Musashino Art University in Tokyo, moved to New York in 2001, and studied at New York School of Interior Design. She worked at the renowned lighting design firm, L’Observatoire International. She specialized in hospitality design and has overseen various high-profile projects such as Jean-George Vongerichten's restaurant Jean-Georges.

This week on Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by Zach Mangan, the founder of the kettl tea compay. Sourced from Nagano’s famed buckwheat, the hills of Hoshinomura, and elsewhere in Japan, kettl’s top-tier teas are served at New York restaurants such as Atera and Brushstroke and sold online for at-home consumption. Their catalog of clients have been awarded 16 Michelin stars and counting. Tune in to hear them discuss Zach's path from musician to tea importer, regional differences between Japanese green tea producers, and more.

This week on Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by Andy Moran, manager at Japan Premium Beef, a specialty butcher shop in New York City that sells both imported Japanese Wagyu and domestic Wagyu raised on its own farm in Oregon. Tune is as they debunk some popular myths about Wagyu, and find out what makes this beef so special.

On this week's episode of Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined by Kenji Ichishima, owner of the Ichishima Sake Brewery. Born and raised in Shibata City, Kenji Ichishima grew up around the brewery that had been run by his forefathers for generations. Encouraged by his grandfather, who had also spent time outside of Japan, Kenji came to the United States and spent time in Atlanta, Georgia and Albany, New York. His time in America rekindled Kenji's awareness of his identity and reminded him of the importance of his family business, and after returning to Japan he decided to enter the sake industry. Since becoming President of Ichishima Shuzo, he has achieved success in developing new products, improving quality, reducing inefficiencies, and discontinuing low-profit business components such as beer wholesaling. In addition to managing his brewery, Kenji is also deeply involved in the larger world of sake. As chairperson of the public relations committee of the Niigata Brewer's Association, he has run the N

This week on Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by Stephen Globus, a native New Yorker who has long been involved with cultural fusion and interchange between Japan and the United States. Through the Globus Washitsu organization, Stephen and his brothers have sponsored events at various eminent institutions including the Japan Society, the Asia Society, and many other NYC locations. The scope of these events includes dance, theater, cinema, art, craft, tea ceremony, and performance groups. Wabi-sabi represents Japanese aesthetics and a Japanese world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete."

This week on Japan Eats, Akiko is joined by sake expert Chizuko Niikawa-Helton. Ms. Niikawa, grew up on the Temple grounds of the Zen Buddhist Temple Gihozan Hosho Ji, located in the finest Rice and Sake producing prefecture of Japan, Akita. chizAfter graduating, Takushoku University and with additional studies at Esmond Japon, a fashion college. Ms. Niikawa embarked on a career in fashion as a fashion designer for over ten years. With her firm grounding in balance, and form, through a decade of fashion design Ms. Niikawa began to awaken to her deep appreciation, and love of the ancient art of Sake, and the pleasures and complexities it possesses. She began to feel that Sake had life, and form, and texture. She remembered her childhood, and her roots, she remembered the incredible rice, and Sake that her famous prefecture of Akita was known for and she began to appreciate of how closely Sake in form, as well as in balance was a living thing and that it needed to be understood and discussed in its purest, simp

On this week's episode of Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama is joined in the studio by Keizo Shimamoto, creator of the Original Ramen Burger. He has worked for Ivan Orkin and the mini ramen chain Bassanova, all while documenting his love affair with noodles on his blog, GO RAMEN! Keizo is also the subject of the short film Ramen Dreams, a chronicle of his extraordinary passion for ramen.

On this week's episode of Japan Eats, Akiko is joined in the studio by Ruri Kippenbrock, the founder of wuhao newyork Inc. The company specializes in hand-made tenugui, Japanese cotton towels. These towels are not only for wiping your hands but also have a number of traditional uses and applications, not to mention overall well-being – tune in to learn more!

On this week's episode of Japan Eats, Akiko is joined in the studio by Robby Cook, the executive sushi chef of Morimoto in New York. Robby is also the co-author the of new book The Complete Guide to Sushi & Sashimi, which contains tips and techniques on how to properly create and indulge in sushi and sashimi at home.

On this week’s episode of Japan Eats, Akiko is joined in the studio by Todd Bellomy, brewer and co-founder of Dovetail Sake, Massachusetts’ first sake brewery. Prior to opening Dovetail, Bellomy worked in the American craft beer industry, as a chef, and even as a sword-making apprentice in the Saitama Prefecture of Japan. Tune in to hear all about his life as a sake brewer. “Our philosophy is, we want people to drink it because it’s delicious, and not because it’s sake…we look to traditional Japanese brewing, but we’re not limited by that.” [18:00] – Todd Bellomy  

On this week’s episode of Japan Eats, Akiko is joined in the studio by Yuji Haraguchi, owner of the restaurants Okonomi and YUJI Ramen. By day, Okonomi serves traditional Japanese ichiju-sansai set meals for breakfast and lunch. In the evenings, Okonomi becomes YUJI Ramen, and offers an à la carte menu of seafood-rich ramen and mazemen. Haraguchi is currently working to open Osakana, a Japanese-style fish market dedicated to providing high-quality, local, and seasonal seafood to Brooklyn and beyond. Osakana will also offer cooking demonstrations and classes – for both beginners and experts – to share knowledge on how to appreciate local seafood. “Eat fish, live longer.” [12:20] – Yuji Haraguchi  

On this week’s episode of Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama welcomes guest Rona Tison, the senior vice president of corporate relations at ITO EN, to discuss making green tea a true part of American culture. Tison has extensive experience in the tea industry and has received Green Tea Certification from ITO EN. Prior to joining ITO EN, Tison worked extensively in the hotel and service industry where she served as director of operations at the W Hotels The Court and The Tuscany, executive vice president at the lifestyle store Felissimo and rooms divisional manager at Le Parker Meridian, all in New York. “Part of the beauty about tea is also sharing with friends. You can enjoy it in solitude, a moment to relax and have a cup of tea, or you can entertain and share great conversations. All those activities are great, I think, in terms of overall health.” [23:00] *** Listeners, if you are interested in learning tea ceremony (which helps you to be calm and focused like meditation!) in New York City, check this out

On today’s episode of Japan Eats, host Akiko Katayama welcomes guest Gaku Shibata, owner of the restaurants Azasu and Yoppari in New York’s Lower East Side. They discuss Japanese gastropubs (izakaya), cup sake, and feeding sumo wrestlers.  

After discovering premium sake for the first time in 2005, today’s guest Tim Sullivan went on to found UrbanSake.com, which is now America’s longest-running sake website. Just two years later, he was awarded the title of “Sake Samurai” by the Japan Sake Brewer’s Association in recognition of his work promoting sake outside of Japan. Sullivan is now an instructor for the Sake School of America, and works as the International Brand Ambassador for the Hakkaisan Sake Brewery to spread sake culture both at home and around the world. “My quality of life has gone up so much because I’m able to work in the sake industry, something I love.” [12:45] – Tim Sullivan

Chef Michael Anthony, Executive Chef of Gramercy Tavern and Untitled of the Union Square Hospitality Group talks with Japan Eats host Akiko Katayama about living in Tokyo right after graduating from college. The move changed the course of his life and career. Tune in to hear how Michael’s experience in Japan stayed with him even as he moved to France and back to the U.S.    > #### “That was one of those moments that those decisions determined the course that my life would take.” [20:30] “In the kitchen you have to appeal to ppl on a personal level if you want to share ideas and work together as a team.” [24:30] –Chef Michael Anthony on Japan Eats

Over his 25­‐year career, Chef Takashi Yagihashi has been lauded by consumers and critics alike for his exquisite ways of melding contemporary French, Asian, and American cuisine, and today he is in studio with Akiko Katayama for a brand new episode of Japan Eats. A native of Mito, Japan, the self-taught Yagihashi was working in a local restaurant when the owner asked him to relocate to the States and work for him there; over the next several years, the young chef worked his way up the culinary ladder throughout Chicago where he has most recently helmed the Slurping Turtle restaurant and appeared on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters.  Tune in for more on this inspiring chef! Takashi